When Stiles turned eighteen he, to the surprise of everyone, turned into a dragon. He wasn’t quite a were-creature since dragons were more magic than anything else. How else could he shift mass into something significantly larger? He could definitely do partial shifts with claws and scales and such.
Everyone was happy since with the scales he was very damage resistant and he healed quickly.
Derek was happy for Stiles. He was. But… ever since the Change, Stiles had started licking his lips far more frequently. It was very, very distracting. It was even more alarming when he found out that the licking was Stiles scenting the air. His human nose hadn’t heightened his sense of smell but he could now… taste the air and pick up a great deal of information.
Derek was alarmed since it meant that Stiles might actually catch onto Derek’s interest. Derek, as alpha, could and did mute his scent. He enjoyed knowing more about his betas than they did about him. Beyond the power boost, the ability to disguise his scent was easily one of the best alpha perks. It worked for the betas. He had no idea what Stiles was able to discern when he tasted the air like he did.
Did he mention just how fucking distracting it was? Derek did not need any more reasons to look at Stiles’ mouth. He really didn’t. Particularly not when looking at his mouth while Stiles was licking his lips resulted in the exact sort of scent that Derek was trying to hide.
It was enough that Derek tried to avoid Stiles. Except that Stiles was everywhere. He’d been a ubiquitous presence in Derek’s life for years now. Derek hadn’t thought that Stiles could be more around than he’d been but… Derek was wrong. As he usually was when it came to Stiles.
If Derek were prey and not a predator he might feel a little… hunted.
Matters were not improved by Stiles reducing, if not outright eliminating, many of the more frustrating features of his personality. He was still very much Stiles but his bantering was less pointed and more playful. He was still twitchy and constant motion but he could also be still. Like the predator he now was. He took up so much space but with the sharper edges gone, Derek wasn’t able to focus on being irritated instead of ridiculously in love. Derek was able to relax in his company in a way previously impossible and it was pretty much the worst thing ever.
One thing that had everyone curious was the matter of Stiles’ hoard. If there was one thing everyone knew about dragons, it was that they hoarded. But, near as anyone could tell, Stiles hadn’t started to accummulate more things. He didn’t act more possessive over anything in particular. If Stiles was hoarding, no one knew what it was.
It was a fairly quiet day and they were alone in the loft when Derek finally learned what Stiles was hoarding. He’d been reading a book and a scene had made him smile. He heard a softly whispered, ‘mine’ from across the room. He looked up and Stiles was very still and very instensly looking at Derek. When his eyes met Derek’s he flushed and turned away.
“What did you just say?” Derek asked.
“Um… nothing. There was no saying of anything over here. In fact, I’ve never said anything in my entire life. Wouldn’t even know how to do it,” Stiles was being super shifty.
“Really.”
“I forgot that I have a thing to do. At a place that isn’t here. So I’m going to go do that thing. Somewhere else,” Stiles started flailing about trying to gather his things.
“Stop. You said ‘mine’. I heard you. What’s yours, Stiles?”
“Nothing is mine. I have nothing,” Derek could hear that he was lying. The extra clumsiness helped give him away.
“You’re lying. We both know you’re lying,” here Stiles tripped and Derek smiled, because, well, Stiles was ridiculous.
Stiles froze. Eyes wide and staring at Derek’s mouth. His mouth opened and he whispered, “Mine”. It was involuntary. A reflex. Instinct one might say.
Derek’s smile widened because he was starting to get an inkling. A notion, if you will. As his smile widened, Stiles began to tremble. His scent turned into something sweet. So sweet that Derek wished he could taste it like Stiles did. He gave into his hunch and released the hold he usually kept on his own scent. Watched as Stiles licked his lips and seemed to stop breathing.
“Derek. When…? Why? I didn’t think… except sometimes I did because I could taste hints. But I never expected…” This was the most incoherent and speechless Derek had ever seen Stiles.
Derek just let go and his face broke out into a wide grin. Because he was suddenly very happy. Very, very happy.
“Oh my god. You can’t… It isn’t fair. That smile is for me. Because of me. And it’s mine,” Stiles was suddenly very, very close. Fingers reaching to touch Derek’s mouth. Lightly touching the crinkle of his eyes. He tasted the air and obviously got the answer to a question he didn’t dare ask. Because he leaned forward and gave Derek’s smile a gentle kiss. His ‘mine’ this time was a hiss of avarice and pleasure and possession.
This was how Derek figured out that Stiles was hoarding his smiles. It was also how years of pining (on both ends) finally came to an end. They didn’t tell anyone about Stiles’ hoard. Even as their relationship made Stiles a very wealthy dragon. Each smile lovingly treasured and kept safe.
Leave it to Stiles to have a most unusual hoard.